The Ultimate Guide to Zipair Meals: We Tried Them All So You Don't Have To

When flying with Zipair, the new low-cost carrier to Japan owned by Japan Airlines, you will quickly find that nothing extra, not even the food or water is included. However, even though you do not get a meal included on your Zipair flight, you can still pay for and enjoy a meal when flying with this airline. 

During our journey from Vancouver to Tokyo Narita and back, we decided to sample every single meal on offer so you don't have to. Here is our in-depth review and rankings of Zipair meal experience.

Pre-Order Your Meals on Zipair !

Pre-ordering your meals when booking your flight with Zipair is something we would highly recommend. While snacks and drinks are available for purchase onboard, the selection of full meals still available for purchase once in-flight was quite limited.

For your in-flight dining pre-planning, it is important to note that the crew was particularly strict about dining times on one of our flights (not both). They served meals only about an hour after take-off with no option to eat your meal later on, not even for cold dishes. This left us with 7 hours of remaining flight time without another meal. Yes, you can bring your own food on Zipair, and because of this policy, we think you should consider bringing extra snacks on board with you.

Price Differences

There was a notable price difference between meals ordered from Vancouver when compared to those on the return flight from Tokyo. Meals from Vancouver were priced at around 2200 yen per dish, nearly twice as expensive as those from Tokyo, which cost around 1300 yen per dish.

(YVR) Vancouver to Tokyo Narita (NRT): Rankings from Worst to Best

5. Pan-fried cod with Egg White and Dried Scallop Sauce

Verdict: Bland. The absence of an overly fishy flavour was a plus, but that was because the dish lacked any distinctive taste. Without salt and pepper packets to amplify the flavour, and no knives to cut the large piece of broccoli, this meal left room for improvement.

4. Asian-Style Sautéed Beef Sirloin

Verdict: Overly sweet. The sauce tasted so sugary that we found the beef unenjoyable.

3. Chicken Sautéed in Seafood Chili Sauce

Verdict: Average. The chicken lacked crispiness, but the sauce was decent. It’s a safe, if uninspiring, choice.

2. Roasted Mushroom Ravioli

Verdict: Delicious. Packed with veggies, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes, all topped with cheese, this dish was a pleasant surprise.

1. Ginger Pork Rice Bowl

Verdict: Excellent. Despite not being big pork fans, the ginger sauce was so flavorful that it overshadowed the pork, making it the best meal we had on this leg of the journey.

(NRT) Tokyo Narita to Vancouver (YVR): Rankings from Worst to Best

4. Filling Pork Cutlet Sandwich

Verdict: Not our cup of tea. Filled with sweet sauce and shredded cabbage, it wasn’t bad, but turns out we just aren’t big fans of cold sandwiches.

3. Butter Chicken Curry

Verdict: Tasty but inauthentic. The small chicken pieces were flavorful, although spicier than expected for butter chicken. The rice also resembled more of a Japanese style rather than Indian.

2. Gyudon (Beef Bowl)

Verdict: Very tasty. Served with onions and a sticky sauce, this dish was flavorful and could easily have taken the top spot.

1. Spicy Chicken Rice

Verdict: Our favourite. Ground chicken on top of rice with some egg to be mixed in, offering great flavour and a satisfying meal.

Honourable Mention: Drinks

Zipair offers a range of reasonably priced alcoholic beverages, including red, white, and sparkling wine, as well as beer. However, the standout for us was the pre-mixed can of plum wine and club soda. We enjoyed this refreshing drink so much that we even brought a few cans back home from Japan.

Final Thoughts on Zipair Meals

Flying with Zipair can be an enjoyable experience, especially if you pre-order your meals. The Ginger Pork Rice Bowl and Spicy Chicken Rice were our personal favourites, and don’t miss out on the plum wine and club soda, or a coconut ice cream for a delightful in-flight refreshment.

Don’t forget you can always pack some extra snacks for those long haul flights to ensure you're comfortable throughout your journey. Safe travels and happy dining!